Message for kbaby ( and anyone else!!)

[littlerach]

I read one of your posts about BH and was hoping you could let me know how you are now.
This is my second, and I am 21 wks, and am having strong bh at the mo!!
Did yours stop? I remember having them early on with DD, but these seem quite strong. My tummy tightens and I need a wee, then it goes again. Did you get any advice from the mw? Do paracetamol really work?
Any advice welcome......

Hi Littlerach,
Hope your ok.
Im still getting strong BH. Ive noticed that I get them if I do too much during the day ie shopping and lots of walking. I also get them if I lie on my back, if the baby is too active or use my tummy muscles while I attempt to get out of bed. Basically I seem to get them from all sorts of things. The mw said that my uterus is irritable and thats why I get so many. When she was feeling for the baby she started them off again. Im a bit more relaxed about them now as I know that they will go away. Some days I still get them every 5 minutes but then it only lasts about 2 hrs or so.
They feel like youve described. I can feel a tightening spreading upwards and then my stomach goes very hard and you can feel exactly where the baby is, it does make you feel like you need to have a wee. I remember that when I was in hospital with them I spent half my time on the loo. Then they relax and it goes back to normal. I find I feel them worse if im lying on my back. Lying on my side is much better.
The midwifes and hospital havent really said much, only just to contact them if they become more intense over a number of hours or dont stop. She did say that if I could go to bed and sleep through them then they werent contractions. I didnt take any paracetomols as I was ok with the pain and just thought it was better not to be popping paracetomols all the time. However if you feel that you need to, then its safe to.
Hope this helps, I found using this site much more helpful than anything the midwifes told me. Im now 31 weeks and happy that ive got to this stage, I still rest quite a bit.
Email me if you want to know anything else or fancy a chat.
Email address is
[email protected]
or encase the address doesnt show correctly it's
karenatbayntonhomedotfslifedotcodotuk.

Thank you so much for your reply.
My DD was born 5 wks early, so I am rather paranoid this time!!
How would I know if my uterus is irritable?!!

I know I got stuck on that one. The definition I found on the internet was; a uterus that contracts without causing cervix dilation frequently.
Basicaly I think it just means that you get frquent bh/ contractions but without them actually doing anything.
Have you been checked out for a urine infection? as they can sometimes cause them.
Also someone told me that dehydration can make them worse, so make sure you drink lots, although it makes you go to the loo even more than normal.

I have been drinking more as I read on another post about this.
They have not been as bad yesterday and today so I am holing they are just "normal" ones!!
How are you progressing?

Not too bad thanks, I get them every day but sometimes only once and others more often. I try to forget about them and just hope that if it was real contractions I would be able to tell the difference.
Hows the rest of your pregnancy going?

Mines ok, although I stress that everything I do may harm the baby. DH tells me I read too much info and that I'll end up a hypocondriac(cant spell it) It seems strange to think in 9 weeks I could be holding my baby. We watched actual births in parentcraft last week which didnt go down with DH too well and he looked a bit pale, esp when the placenta was being delivered. Needless to say ive now asked my mum to be there also, as I think DH is going to need more support than me.